JOHN R. PATERNOSTER, IX M.W.

Frater Supreme Magus

SRIA Red Booklet Series

By RW Frater Richard Hopper Holme, 8

SRIA 1867-2012

JOHN R. PATERNOSTER, IX M.W. Frater Supreme Magus, SRIA

Theosophical Siftings Vol 6, No 15

By William Wynn Westcott

SRIA High Council Library SRIA 1867-2011

(Rosicrucian Society of Freemasons) M.W. Fra. JOHN R. PATERNOSTER, IX Supreme Magus Chief Adept of Greater London HIGH COUNCIL LIBRARY SRIA 1867-2011

SRIA Red Booklet Series Frater Richard Hopper Holme

An Essay to Commence Discussion By RW Frater Richard Hopper Holme, 8 FOREWORD This is one of a series of Papers held in the High Council Library archives which, it has been felt, should be made available to the Fratres of today who wish to know what research has been done in particular subjects. They are produced in this format to aid a Fraters studies and this Booklet especially invites one to use the left-hand side (kept blank) for comments. The views and conclusions expressed (not necessarily held in this instance) by the author were intended to provoke a response. The only certainty here is that the Fama Fraternitatis was published at Cassel, Germany, in 1614 after private circulation in manuscript. It has prompted argument ever since. Despite all the research that has been done since that date, no actual evidence as to authorship, membership, or even of the existence of C. R. or his House of the Holy Spirit, has come to light. IF the author's conclusion is correct the manuscript, at least, might surface some day. However it seems likely that all evidence was destroyed during

the 30-years war [see Frances Yates's Rosicrucian Enlightenment, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1972 for the historical background.] On behalf of the High Council A B Stephenson IX 1989

An Essay to Commence a Discussion By RW Frater Richard Hopper Holme, 8 Stirred to activity by the words of our Chief Adept on the occasion of our meeting on St. Patrick's Day, 17 th March 1920, to the effect that the Supreme Magus had declared the wish that, at each meeting of the M.. C.., a degree should be worked and a lecture given or a paper read, to be followed by a DISCUSSION, I have written this paper in a controversial style, to inaugurate this mode of meeting and compel discussion. I have kept it short likewise, so as to afford time for such discussion to follow, and have taken up the theme as directly opposite to our accepted notions as possible. I begin by reading the Gospel of St. Matthew, XIII, verses 10 et sequiter 10. And the Disciples came and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables?' 11. He answered and said unto them, "because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12. For whosoever hath to him shall be given, but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13. Therefore speak I to them in parables; because they seeing see not: and hearing hear not: neither do they understand. 14. Lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, AND SHOULD BE CONVERTED.'
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It appears a paradox to hear of Jesus, who it was reputed to CONVERT all men, making such a remarkable statement; but the fact is that the very earliest recorded times right up to the Seventeenth century EVERY teacher without exception taught in PARABLES and founded systems by Imaginary tales of personages WHO DID NOT EXIST This Rosicrucian Order was founded in t he Sixteenth Century and it NATURALLY follows that one looks at ITS origin being precisely as were other systems of education and morality. Let me therefore open my enquiry by the accepted statement that this Order was erected on a document or parable entitled The Fama Fraternitatis and investigate if possible into the authority of that document. We know that at the close of the Sixteenth Century there were many learned men scattered over the earth who held opinions SO CONTRARY OF ORTHODOXY that WERE they discovered they were burnt as heret ics. To bring these persons int o a union which could enable them to converse upon what was near to their hearts, and to VEIL THEIR VIEWS and OPINIONS in such a way that if their places of meeting WERE discovered, or they themselves ARRESTED, the Church Authorities would be powerless to convict, was EMINENTLY DESIRABLE. Hence the necessity for FOUNDING our Order. As there had existed from time immemorial a select Coterie of men who dubbed themselves ROSICRUCIANS and pursued investigations into the secrets of Nature, under the guise of Alchemy, Astrology, the Elixir of Life, etc., it appeared wise, no doubt, to WHOEVER had the idea of imparting solemn ideas of truth to do so UNDER THE QUISE OF THIS WELL-KNOWN NAME, adopting a distinctive Symbol to distinguish themselves from the ACTUAL PERSONS who practiced the researches alluded to, to bring their schemes into fruition. These old Rosicrucians may be summed up thus:1. Alchemist Rosicrucians: Object being to study and discover the secret of Mutation of metals into GOLD. 2. Astrological Rosicrucians: To study the influence of the Stars and forecast events. 3. Metaphysical Rosicrucians: To practice magic, their great founder being Solomon or Sulliman who controlled the Efreets. 4. Those generally called Rosicrucians (Ethical): Who sought after the Elixir of Life and practiced morality and philosophy.
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There was also a Rosicrucian Fraternity among the members of which occurred the names of Elias Ashmole, Sir Francis Bacon and other eminent men. A Moral Order. This idea let to the adoption of a small Red Cross worn on the front of the headgear, as specially referred to in a pamphlet called the 'Journey of the Rosicrucians to Atlantis.'

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First we will consider the FAMA. The object of the book called the FAMA was, as distinctly stated therein, to find out ALL learned moralists wherever they were, and draw them together into a SECRET SOCIETY, and the language was couched so adroitly UNDER THE GUISE OF A NARRATIVE that no one could be condemned for possessing it, yet EVERYONE who was wise could understand its OBJECT and seek out the authority responsible for it, and become resolved into one great School. The book itself was first published to the world in 1614, and its title was "The Fama Fratemitatis or the Meritorious Order of the Rosy Cross addressed to the learned in general and the Governors of Europe. ' (22 words equals 4 = Saturn.] This date of publication brings us into the Seventeenth Century, but as the MSS was known and circulated in Switzerland some 16 years previously as a secret document , it was COMPOSED in the Sixteenth Century. The theme of the Book is that a certain Father called Rosy Cross, who had travelled all over the world and collected knowledge on every subject, gathered to himself certain followers, Viz: Fra: R.C., a nephew; Fra. B., a skilful painter; Fra. G. G. and Fra. P. D., secretaries; Fra. LA.; Fra. F. B. -MPA (Magister Pictor et Architectus)' and founded a Spiritual Temple. Father Rosy Cross died and was interred in a certain vault prior to the year 1494 - THE VERY LATEST DATE POSSIBLE, and the place of his internment remained undiscovered for a century. When the vault was discovered, what it contained is described. There was an ever-burning light in the vault, but notably and for an evident reason, it is distinctly stated that the works of Paracelsus were therein deposited. Now as Paracelsus was only one year old in 1494, and if the Fama MSS was circulated in 1595 to 1598, which reduces the date of
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the death of Father Rosy Cross to 1484, he was not born until the vault had been sealed up for 9 years! Here was a distinct MISSTATEMENT which would certainly be known to the ELECT but one which would deceive the Orthodox Authorities absolutely. Next comes an important clue and that is the nominal TITLE of the Fratres of the Rosy Cross. It was Fra: Rosicreutze, and the numerical number of their letters is 33 equals 6. Whoever founded the Order was a man whose name spelt the number 33 or 6. Now the numerical value of Christ ian Rosenkreutze (as originally spelt) is 10 when reduced to its lowest denomination. 10 is the symbol of Divinity, a source of all knowledge. Hence it is conceivable that the Author desired to make plain to his School that it was a Parable and that the supposed Father R. C. never existed but represents the SOURCE of KNOWLEDGE or Divinity. The figure 10 is identical with 1. In this manner 1. equals the Sun or Source of all Life, the Creative symbol. The number 10 is two semi triangles imposed angle to angle, thus X accepted by all authorities as meaning the Male and Female connected and signifying the Creative faculty significations opposed to each other in order to be Later the two angles disappear and an X results. Now I come to the locality of the Vault. This is given as in Germany, another blind alley. Now De Quincy states that there was no regular Lodge of Rosicrucians in Germany! Further, Des Cartes who had heard a great deal of the Fraternity searched VAINLY in 1619 to find even one single FRATER in Germany. Thus it can be perceived that this location was an additional BLIND to the Orthodox, and Leibnitz confirms these statements. The SYMBOL of the Fraternity is I N R I. This was a very SKILFUL manner of hiding the REAL Mysteries as it was accepted by the Orthodox as having only one meaning, viz.Iesu Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum whereas, as our Mysteries exemplify, the following understanding or teaching was embodied in I N R I by the Ancient fraternity, IGNE NATURA RENOVATOR INTEGRA [Nature is renovated by fire] which was the INRI of the Alchemists, IGNE NITRUM RORIS INVENTOR of the hermetic Fraternities, and JAMIN NOUR RUACH JABESHAB,
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being the Hebrew words for Water, Fire, Air and Earth, the Four Elements of the Material Universe. There is a further striking inaccuracy in the Fama ca lcu lat ed t o hide it s mea nin g, and t his is t hat C. R. C. is alluded to as a German in his TEENS and but half-educated yet when he arrives in Cyprus accompanied by P.A.L. where the latter dies and he has to journey by himself to Damascus (where he had to rest owing to great feebleness of body), the learned men there are attracted to him by his 'great skill in Physic' . This means very simply that the Fama IS SIMPLY AND SOLELY A METAPHOR for it is filled with incongruities only understandable by the graduates of the Mysteries. After thus summarily dismissing the Fama (this is so great a subject that I dare not tackle it is so slight a sketch as this) let us consider t he remaining standard works on which our Order is founded. These are 1. THE CHEMICAL MARRIAGE, 1616.

2. CONFESSION FRATERNITATIS, 1615 3. UNIVERSAL REFORMATION, 1614.

[A fairly literal rendering of Boccalini's Raguali, etc. and considered to be the first publication of the R.C. Society. Note that Boccalini was a VENETIAN.]

[The High Council Copy of the package of Rosicrucian manifestos, bound together and re-printed in 168, has the A Universal Reformation. of the. Whole Wide World, by order of. The God Appollo. is published by. the Seven Sages of Greece as its first booklet, the Fama and Confessio are bound in much later, after other manifestos, as it would have been sent out in the original, when the Fama became more popular. A.M.Lees 2012]

4. VOYAGE OF THE ROSICRUCIANS TO ATLANTIS. [this is WORD FOR WORD The New Atlantis by Sir Francis Bacon.] This brings me to the point of startling you with a statement that will cause the discussion, namely: SIR FRANCIS BACON FOUNDED OUR SOCIETY AND CREATED FRATER CHRISTIAN ROSENCREUTZ' as an
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ALLEGORY to show the connection of Matter and Spirit. As I presumed before, the number 33 is the key and Francis Bacon is 33. And the title page of every one of his works sums up as 33. That he wrote the Voyage to Atlantis THERE IS NO DOUBT because it is a literal rendering of his well-known New Atlantis and consequently he is the Author of the SMALL CROSS OF RED WORN IN THE FRONT OF THE TURBAN OF THE chiefs of that Continent, and further the College of the HOLY SPIRIT (founded by C.R.C. in the Fama) is therein RECORDED, and researches such as ours are conducted in it. The Chemical Marriage was published anonymously, and though I have read and re-read it I cannot as yet explain it briefly and say that I know the RIDDLE of the NAME which is ALCHEMIA and have also read and translated ever y one of the MYSTERIOUS CRYPTICS by assistance of our learned Supreme Magus [i.e. Westcott]. I leave it alone. AENIGMA DE NOMINI VIRGINIS My name contains 5 and 50, and yet hath only 8 letters; The 3rd is the 3rd part of the 5th; which 3rd added to the 6th will produce a number whose square root shall exceed the 3 rd itself by just the 1st, and the root is half the 4th; Now the 5th and the 7th are equal; The 1 st and the 8 th are also equal and make wit h t he 2 n d as much as t he 6 t h hat h, which contains 4 more than the 3rd tripled.' To return to t he Fama and t he universal Reformation - there I stand on surer ground. The MS was first read in the Tirol in 1614, and at that time Bacon was there and delayed his journey of Venice in order to confer with the Branch of the Rosicrucians ALREADY established in that City. The object of Bacon's visit to Venice was to consult with his Brother Rosicrucian (he is called The Venetian' and My Venetian Brother) as to the founding or development of UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD, and among the friends of that Brother was Boccalini. Whose book the Ragganti de Parnassus was the FIRST publication of the Societas Rosicruciana. Further, Francis Bacon is mentioned in that book as Apollo 66 33
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Among the names of the original disciples of Frater Rosy Cross is Frater F.B. m p a which reads Francis Bacon Magister Pictor et Architectus, and in addition his name initials are repeated, Fra: B. a SKILFUL PAINTER! Another point I will make is that, during Sir Francis's life the Society flourished and issued books, but after his death, it languished and ALMOST DIED: was in fact moribund until it was restored in the form we know it as S.R.I, in Anglia. I am not alone in t his assert io n because NICOLAI, one of the great authorities, claims Bacon as the founder of Rosicrucianism. Bacon was a personal friend of Elias Ashmole and a Freemason. There was no great or distinguished Rosicrucian who could have founded our peculiar Order except Andreas and HE denied having written the Fama, indeed he was too young to do so being then 19 years of age. In conclusion I may say, in justification of my springing this subject upon you that, when I was corresponding with the Supreme Magus [W.W. Westcott] regarding The Chemical Wedding, I casually mentioned a passage in a book upon this matter, and he replied telling me that he had heard of it also, and that he was collecting many books regarding it so as to begin the study of the question when he reached Durban. So it is quite probable that we may hear from his mature decision and then you can know definitely whether I am orthodox or unorthodox and treat me accordingly. At the present moment he is quite undecided and until he receives the whole evidence cannot pronounce a judgment. Yet he has given permission to have this paper read to you and I hope you will thoroughly criticize it. Richard Hopper Holme. 1920

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WHO WAS C.R. Editor's comment. It is perhaps appropriate for the Editor to comment on page 13 of this 13th Booklet in the Series. Whilst the author presupposed that Fratres would have read at least the Fama and the Chemical Wedding in the English translations, copies of either were hard to come by. Today our Society has its own edition of the Fama available for purchase, but curiously even the Library does not possess the Foxcroft translation of the Chemical Wedding although it does have an original in German. There is, however, an American reprint. What is good news is that our Frater Mark Russell is analyzing the Wedding one day (of the seven) per year for the Metropolitan Study Group and, after completion, in 2004, we hope to publish the whole of his Papers. I can strongly recommend it - but we must be patient! Both books would benefit from modem translation With reference to the author's claim that Bacon wrote the Fama (as well as Shakespeare?!), it happens that he rented rooms in the Canonbury Tower, Islington, and may well have commissioned the superb panelling of those rooms. It would be a happy thought picturing him writing the Fama there. Unfortunately he did not take up residence until two years after the publication. Later residents added their lustre to the Tower, especially Sir Edmund Halley who is believed to have discovered his' comet from its flat roof. Rosicrucianism was NOT moribund in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries 'until our Society came to the rescue'.

The MSG Study Group meets at 2.30 p.m. at STANFIELD HALL, 88 HIGH STREET, HAMPSTEAD, on the THIRD Saturday each months, excluding May & December, when we meet at Mark Masons Hall, St.Jamess, London. Please contact the Secretary for further information, R.W. Fra. Alistair Lees VIII/9, of 30 Poulett Gardens, Twickenham, Middx. TW1 4QR (Telephone: 020 8891 1662 Mobile - 07500 893 634) inluminluce@googlemail.com

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